"Steve would've killed these." "Lee oughta know better." It's no secret that Apple's current spots, featuring a typical Apple store "Genius," are getting panned. I'm not here to pour more criticism on. My question is simple: How did they get these done? By that, I mean: Who approved this strategy? Who thought this kind of comedy was needed? Did the client really want this campaign (and insist upon it)? …
Chick-fil-A Shows That Radical Transparency In Marketing Sometimes Isn’t Pretty
The news this week that Chick-fil-A's President spoke out against gay marriage has once again ignited passions among both its supporters and its detractors. All you have to do is a quick Google news, Facebook or Twitter search for "Chick-fil-A" and you'll see plenty of stories and opinions surrounding the controversy. Marketing people aren't immune from weighing in with their personal beliefs. Not to pick on a …
Maybe Shell Doesn’t Think Social Media Matters All That Much
The Greenpeace-supported fake Shell website has gained a lot of social media traction this past week. By using Shell's logo, among other things, the site comes off as pretty slick and its official-lookingness has a lot of people fooled. The site gives people a chance to create their own "Let's Go" ads like this one: As far as I can tell, Shell's response has been quite limited, leaving this press release as …
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For Microsoft, Automated Display Not An Automated Teller Machine
The money in technology is not real. When you look at the sums involved in Facebook's initial public offering, or at Monday's news that Microsoft will write down almost the entire value of its 2007 acquisition of aQuantive--a $6.2 billion hit--what other conclusions can one draw? And who aside from Steve Ballmer drops $6.3 billion in cash, and just five years later says it was all for …
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Teaching The Basics Of Advertising Isn’t So Basic Anymore
A little confessional today: So I'm teaching a five-week "Intro to Ad Copywriting" class at Seattle's School of Visual Concepts. It's only a five-session course, part of a "Summer Boot Camp" for the business. It's not much time. So we're starting with the basics: Headline writing, concepting, making persuasive arguments. We'll move into visual thinking, writing for the web and radio/video later on. Really though, …
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Orbitz Takes “Mac Versus PC” Campaign Literally, Serves Up Spendier Hotels To Mac Users
Mac users spend on average spend $20 to $30 more a night on hotels than their PC counterparts, according to online travel site Orbitz. Furthermore, Mac users are 40% more likely to book a four- or five-star hotel than PC users, and when Mac and PC users book the same hotel, Mac users tend to stay in more expensive rooms. The Wall Street Journal says, "the effort underscores how retailers are becoming …
Advertising’s Cult Of Personality Gets Brackets
Ad agency Sanders\Wingo is out to answer the question, "Who's the all-time greatest man or woman in advertising?" To do it, they've created ADversaries, a Facebook page that matches up ad people head-to head, ala March Madness. That some advertising people achieve cult of personality status has always struck me as a bit odd, but what's even weirder here are the initial "matchups": Bill Bernbach vs. Sally …
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For The Troy Library, Leo Burnett Detroit Burned Conventional Wisdom
I hadn't heard about this initiative from last fall before now, but it's awesome. Leo Burnett Detroit, working to help save the Troy Library, injected some provocative marketing into an upcoming vote to levy a small tax that would keep the library open. "A vote against the library, is like a vote to burn books." One of the best things advertising can do is make you think about a topic in a way you've never …
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